Auxins, auxin transport inhibitors, and competitors for auxin receptors do not show statistically significant differences in 212 molecular descriptors

[EN] This study compares 212 molecular descriptors of four auxins (indolebutyric acid; indoleacetic acid; 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; 1-naphthaleneacetic acid), three auxin transport inhibitors [2-(naphthalen-1-ylcarbamoyl)benzoic acid; 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid; 9-hydroxy-9H-fluorene-9-carboxylic acid], and five competitors for auxin receptors [2-(2,4,6-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid; 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropanoic acid; 3-phenylpropanoic acid; 3-(2-chlorophenoxy)butanoic acid; 2-amino-3-(5-methyl-1H-indol-3yl) propanoic acid]. The analysed compounds did not show statistically significant differences in any of those descriptors, suggesting that chemical and structural differences, per se, do not determine their functional diversities. We propose that combination with other, yet unknown chemical groups confers the specificity necessary for these molecules to act as auxins, as auxin transport inhibitors or auxin receptor competitors.This research was supported by the Bioplant Centre (University of Ciego de Avila, Cuba) and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Andújar, I.; Gómez, D.; Pérez, L.; Vicente, O.; Lorenzo, JC. (2019). Auxins, auxin transport inhibitors, and competitors for auxin receptors do not show statistically significant differences in 212 molecular descriptors. Romanian Biotechnological Letters. 24(3):407-411. https://doi.org/10.25083/rbl/24.3/407.411S40741124

Histology of maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen exposure

[EN] Maize represents a staple food crop and is the second most important agricultural commodity globally. Considering the important role of maize for food security, the long-term conservation of valuable germplasm is critical to ensure that high levels of genetic diversity are available for breeding superior cultivars to face future challenges. Cryopreservation is regarded as the most appropriate tool for long-term germplasm preservation and has been investigated in different crops. This short communication adds to the existing knowledge on maize cryopreservation by describing histological changes observed in maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen (LN) exposure. Plants were examined immediately after recovery from LN (day zero) and following 3 days of germination. At day 3, seeds exposed to LN showed lower germination rates than non-cryostored seeds, i.e., 60.7% vs. 83.3%. Histological evaluation at day 3 revealed that the thickness of the conical endosperm and the scutellum did not show any statistically significant differences between control and cryopreserved seeds. In contrast, for the other histological evaluations made, mostly regarding the thickness of mesocarp, mealy endosperm, plumule, radicle and the epidermis, significant differences were observed between control and cryostored seeds with the former consistently displaying higher average values than the latter.Villalobos-Olivera, A.; Pereira, R.; Gómez, D.; Martínez, J.; Escalante, D.; Martínez-Montero, ME.; Hajari, E.... (2021). Histology of maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen exposure. Romanian Biotechnological Letters. 26(4):2855-2861. https://doi.org/10.25083/rbl/26.4/2855.28612855286126

Beta-Detected NQR in Zero Field with a Low Energy Beam of \nuc{8}{Li}+^+

Beta-detected nuclear quadrupole resonances (\bnqr) at zero field are observed using a beam of low energy highly polarized radioactive \nuc{8}{Li}$^+$. The resonances were detected in SrTiO$_3$, Al$_2$O$_3$ and Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ single crystals by monitoring the beta-decay anisotropy as a function of a small audio frequency magnetic field. The resonances show clearly that \nuc{8}{Li} occupies one site with non-cubic symmetry in SrTiO$_3, two in Al$_2$O$_3$and three sites in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. The resonance amplitude and width are surprisingly large compared to the values expected from transitions between the$|\pm 2> \leftrightarrow |\pm 1>$spin states, indicating a significant mixing between the$|\pm m>$ quadrupolar split levels.Comment: accepted for publication in Physica

Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the <i>Brachymeles bonitae </i>Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III:a new species from Tablas Island

Davis, Drew R., Geheber, Aaron D., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Feller, Kathryn D., Ashford, Alissa, Kouri, Josh, Nguyen, Daniel, Shauberger, Kathryn, Sheatsley, Kyra, Winfrey, Claire, Wong, Rachel, Sanguila, Marites B., Brown, Rafe M., Siler, Cameron D. (2016): Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III: a new species from Tablas Island. Zootaxa 4132 (1), DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.

Mutagenic effects of sodium azide on pineapple micropropagant growth and biochemical profile within temporary immersion bioreactors

Sodium azide (NaN3) is widely used to induce mutagenesis within in vitro plant systems. However, since this mutagenesis is undirected, its unintended effects demand characterization. This study investigated the mutagenic effects of sodium azide (0-0.45 mM) on selected growth (shoot multiplication rate and shoot cluster fresh weight) and biochemical (aldehydes, chlorophylls, carotenoids and phenolics) parameters in pineapple micropropagants within temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs). The content of soluble phenolics in the culture medium was also evaluated. Irrespective of the concentration NaN3 decreased shoot multiplication rate (by 87% relative to the control at 0.45 mM) and fresh weight (by 66% relative to the control at 0.45 mM). Levels of chlorophyll a and b, and soluble phenolics in the culture medium were also negatively correlated with NaN3 concentration. Interestingly, NaN3 application increased shoot carotenoid and soluble phenolic levels but had no significant effect on a range of established plant stress biomarkers: cell wall-linked phenolic levels, malondialdehyde and other aldehydes. Given that 0.19 mM NaN3 decreased shoot multiplication rate by 50% and resulted in propagants that displayed no morphologically abnormalities, increased levels of photoprotective pigments (relative to the control) and no significant increase in lipid peroxidation products, the mutagen can be used at this concentration to induce pineapple mutagenesis in TIB based studies aimed at producing agriculturally-useful mutants

Prevalencia del síndrome metabólico en la población adulta Añú de la laguna de Sinamaica del municipio Páez, estado Zulia

Objetivo. El s&iacute;ndrome metab&oacute;lico (SM) es un factor de riesgo mayor para enfermedad cardiovascular ateroscler&oacute;tica y &eacute;ste ha sido poco estudiado en grupos ind&iacute;genas, por lo cual, el objetivo de esta investigaci&oacute;n fue estudiar la prevalencia de SM en la poblaci&oacute;n A&ntilde;&uacute; del estado Zulia.Materiales y m&eacute;todos. Se seleccionaron al azar 136 individuos adultos sanos de ambos sexos, se les realiz&oacute; historia cl&iacute;nica y determinaci&oacute;n del perfil lip&iacute;dico. El diagn&oacute;stico de SM se estableci&oacute; seg&uacute;n los criterios de la Federaci&oacute;n Internacional de Diabetes (IDF) y del American Panel Treatment III (ATPIII). El comportamiento normal o no de las variables se determin&oacute; utilizando la prueba Z de Kolmogorov-Smirnov. Los resultados se expresaron como media &plusmn; DE o mediana seg&uacute;n el caso.Resultados. La media de la circunferencia abdominal en la poblaci&oacute;n estudiada fue de 89,74 &plusmn; 15,43 cm. (Hombres: 101,7 &plusmn; 13,9 cm.; Mujeres: 85,5 &plusmn; 13,7 cm.) encontr&aacute;ndose que el 70,6% de la poblaci&oacute;n presenta obesidad central seg&uacute;n la IDF y un 43,4% seg&uacute;n la ATPIII. Los niveles de triacilglic&eacute;ridos presentaron una mediana de 98 mg/dl, sin embargo el 22,8% present&oacute; niveles superiores a 150 mg/dL. Un 79,4% evidenci&oacute; HDL-col bajo con una media de 39,1 &plusmn; 10,6 mg/dL (Hombres: 34,4 &plusmn; 9,1 mg/dL; Mujeres: 40,8 &plusmn; 10,6 mg/dL). La presi&oacute;n arterial se encontr&oacute; en una mediana de 120/80 mmHg, evidenci&aacute;ndose hipertensi&oacute;n arterial en 40,4% de la muestra. La glicemia mostr&oacute; una mediana de 91 mg/dL, encontr&aacute;ndose niveles superiores a 100 mg/dL solo en un 14% seg&uacute;n la IDF y el ATPIII. El 39,7% (IDF) y el 32,4% (ATPIII) de la poblaci&oacute;n A&ntilde;&uacute; presenta los criterios m&iacute;nimos para el diagn&oacute;stico de SM, evidenci&aacute;ndose que la combinaci&oacute;n de criterios positivos m&aacute;s com&uacute;n fue la presencia de obesidad central, hipertensi&oacute;n arterial y HDL-col bajo.Conclusiones. El 39,7% (IDF) y el 32,4% (ATPIII) de la poblaci&oacute;n A&ntilde;&uacute; presentan los criterios m&iacute;nimos para el diagn&oacute;stico de SM. Resulta necesario realizar trabajos de causalidad que relacionen la presencia de SM con enfermedad cardiovascular en esta poblaci&oacute;n.Introduction and objective: Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It has been poorly studied among Indian groups; by which the main purpose of this research is to determine MS prevalence in A&ntilde;u population from Zulia state, Venezuela.Materials and methods: 136 healthy adults of both sexes were selected randomly whom a clinical history was made. Lipid profile and glucose was determined and MS diagnosis was done according to the International Federation of Diabetes criteria (IDF) and the ATPIII. The variables distribution was assessed by Z-test of Kolmogorov-Smirnov by which results are shown as median or mean according to the case.&nbsp;Results: Median of abdominal circumference was 89,74 &plusmn; 15,43cm. (Males: 101,7 &plusmn; 13,9cm; Females: 85,5 &plusmn; 13,7cm) showing that 70,6% of the population presents central obesity according to IDF criterions and 43,4% according ATPIII. Triacylglycerides level showed a median of 98mg/dL, however, 22,8% of individuals showed levels higher than 150mg/dL. 79,4% showed low levels of HDL-col with a median of 39,1 &plusmn; 10,6mg/dL (Men: 34,4 &plusmn; 9,1mg/dL; Women: 40,8 &plusmn; 10,6mg/dL). Median of arterial pressure was 130/90 mmHg, showing high blood pressure levels in 40,4% of the sample. Serum glucose showed a median of 91mg/dL and 14% of the studied cases are over 100mg/dL. The 39,7% (IDF) and the 32,4% (ATPIII) of the A&ntilde;u&rsquo;s population present diagnostic criteria for SM.Conclusions: The 39,7% (IDF) and the 32,4% (ATPIII) of the A&ntilde;u&rsquo;s population present the minimal criteria for SM. Is it necessary to carry out studies relating the presence of SM with cardiovascular disease in this south-american indian population

Salinity induces specific metabolic changes in sugarcane shoot explants in temporary immersion bioreactors

There is a great demand of salt-tolerant sugarcane planting material in Cuba. Temporary immersion bioreactors (TIB) are effective to significantly increase sugarcane in vitro shoot proliferation rate from 1:4 in conventional containers to about 1:35. Sugarcane micropropagation in TIBs under NaCl stress may help screen mutants with salinity tolerance. We developed the experiment shown here to identify a NaCl concentration able to stress shoot in TIBs. At 30 days of culture initiation with different NaCl levels (0 - 200 mM), explant multiplication rate, shoot cluster fresh mass, and levels of aldehydes, chlorophylls, carotenoids and phenolics were determined in the plant material. Content of soluble phenolics in the culture medium was also evaluated. Addition of NaCl decreased shoot multiplication rate and fresh mass. Other statistically significant differences were recorded but the most important were noted in the increased contents of carotenoids, malondialdehyde, other aldehydes and soluble phenolics in the plants, and in the soluble phenolics in the culture medium. This research may be useful for future experiments of in vitro selection of new sugarcane genetic materials with NaCl tolerance. Fifty percent of multiplication rate was reduced with 89 mM NaCl which can be used to stress shoots during micropropagation in TIBs and eventually detect mutants with salt tolerance

Trypanosomatid RACK1 Orthologs Show Functional Differences Associated with Translation Despite Similar Roles in Leishmania Pathogenesis

RACK1 proteins belong to the eukaryote WD40-repeat protein family and function as spatial regulators of multiple cellular events, including signaling pathways, the cell cycle and translation. For this latter role, structural and genetic studies indicate that RACK1 associates with the ribosome through two conserved positively charged amino acids in its first WD40 domain. Unlike RACK1s, including Trypanosoma brucei RACK1 (TbRACK1), only one of these two positively-charged residues is conserved in the first WD40 domain of the Leishmania major RACK1 ortholog, LACK. We compared virulence-attenuated LACK single copy (LACK/-) L. major, with L. major expressing either two LACK copies (LACK/LACK), or one copy each of LACK and TbRACK1 (LACK/TbRACK1), to evaluate the function of these structurally distinct RACK1 orthologs with respect to translation, viability at host temperatures and pathogenesis. Our results indicate that although the ribosome-binding residues are not fully conserved in LACK, both LACK and TbRACK1 co-sedimented with monosomes and polysomes in LACK/LACK and LACK/TbRACK1 L. major, respectively. LACK/LACK and LACK/TbRACK1 strains differed in their sensitivity to translation inhibitors implying that minor sequence differences between the RACK1 proteins can alter their functional properties. While biochemically distinguishable, both LACK/LACK and LACK/TbRACK1 lines were more tolerant of elevated temperatures, resistant to translation inhibitors, and displayed robust pathogenesis in vivo, contrasting to LACK/- parasites